Sticky Yorkshire parkin
A dark, sticky oat and ginger cake with treacle and golden syrup, traditionally eaten on Bonfire Night. Even better after a few days in the tin.
- Prep
- 20 mins
- Cook
- 1 hr
- Total
- 1 hr 20 mins
- Serves
- 16
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost
- Budget
Recipe: Sticky Yorkshire parkin
Sticky Yorkshire parkin
Ingredients
- 175g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
- 100g black treacle
- 175g golden syrup
- 100g dark brown soft sugar
- 125g medium oatmeal, or porridge oats blitzed briefly
- 225g self-raising flour
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 100ml milk
Kitchen kit
- 20cm square baking tin Search Amazon for 20cm square baking tin
- Medium saucepan Search Amazon for stainless steel saucepan
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Method
-
Step 1: Prepare
Heat the oven to 160°C / 140°C fan / gas 3. Grease and line a 20cm square tin.
-
Step 2: Melt
Gently melt the butter, treacle, golden syrup and sugar together in a pan, stirring, until smooth. Don't let it boil. Cool for 5 minutes.
-
Step 3: Mix
Mix the oatmeal, flour, ginger and mixed spice in a large bowl. Pour in the warm syrup mixture and stir, then beat in the egg and milk until you have a smooth, runny batter.
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Step 4: Bake
Pour into the tin and bake for 50–60 minutes until firm to the touch and a skewer comes out clean. It may dip slightly in the middle – that's normal.
-
Step 5: Mature
Cool in the tin, then wrap in parchment and foil and keep in an airtight tin for 3–5 days before cutting. It becomes stickier and more flavourful as it rests.
Tips
- Weigh syrup and treacle straight into the pan on the scales to avoid sticky spoons.
- Parkin is a natural make-ahead for 5 November – bake it at the weekend before.
Storing & reheating
Wrapped and kept in an airtight tin, it keeps for up to 2 weeks.
Freezing
Freeze, well wrapped, for up to 3 months.
Variations
- Stem ginger: fold in 2 balls of finely chopped stem ginger.
- Serve warm as a pudding with custard.
Allergies: Always check the labels of the ingredients you buy for allergens — our dietary tags are a guide, not a guarantee.
From feeed.co.uk/recipes/sticky-yorkshire-parkin/ · Checked 17 October 2026
Questions people ask
Why does parkin need to mature?
Resting lets the oatmeal absorb moisture from the syrup, turning the cake dense and sticky – fresh parkin is much drier.
Is parkin gluten-free?
No, it contains wheat flour, and oats are often contaminated with gluten.
Sources & inspiration
Checked 17 October 2026. Written in our own words; we checked proportions, technique and food safety against:
See other recipes that use the same kit on our kitchen kit pages.
